Acrobatic toy



Aug. 1931- H. L. BLOXOM 1,817,959

ACROBATIC TOY Filed April 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WITNESS; EL. 31010772 7 W Mai.

ATTORNEY 11, 1931- H. L. BLOXOM ACROBATIC TOY Filed Aplil '17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ZZZ Bl ze; Bx M Vd WITNESS 5% ATTORNEY ?atented Aug. 11, 1931 HARVEY LYNN BLOXOII, OF FORT DODGE, IOWA.

AonoBA'nIo TOY Application filed April 17,

This invention relates to figure toys and more particularly'to those of the tumbling, bouncing, or rebounding type.

A primary object of the invention is to so construct a toy of this character that it may, by various forms of manipulation, be caused to performmany maneuvers and stunts such as would amuse both children and grown ups. Another object is to make a toy in which the weight and resiliency of various members is so proportioned and disposed in relation to each other that the toy will when held up and dropped on contacting the floor V or other surface, rebound and erform vari ous stunts, more particularly t at known to gymnasts as the backflip and finally land on all fours.

Still another object is to so construct such we. figure that some of its members are made more or less stiif, and others elastic, certain members being weighted to bring the center of gravity out from the body of the figure towards the center of a line joining the weighted members to insure the desired landing of the toy during tumbling even at rando In carrying out these objects, the invention is susceptible of a wide range of modification without departing from-the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the claimed invention; there being shown in the drawings for illustrative purposes a preferred and practical form in which:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a toy of this character made in the form of a human figure and composed of wire;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the same figure with clothes on and in the act of per- 4% forming a stunt, the position in which the figure is held being shown in full lines and in dotted lines the position it assumes when it contacts the floor;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the members of the toy;

Fig. 4c is a similar view of the body portion thereof; v

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the central or spine member-which assists in supportno ing-the head of the toy;

1980. Serial No. 445,074.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a slightly different form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a similar view of another form;

gig. 8 is a similar view of another form; an

Fig. 9 is a other form.

While this toy is here shown in human form it is to be understood that the form may be varied to represent or simulate the figures of animals, insects, or other representative figures.

The doll or toy in the form of a human gure as shown in Figs. lto 5 comprises a body 1 in the form of alight frame work 66 of wire, although obviously it may be composed of sheet metal or any other suitable light material. This body member or frame 1 supports notonly the head 10 but has attached thereto the legs 15 and the arms 20. The head 10 is composed of very light material such as hollow aluminum, celluloid, papier-mach, cork or the like While the hands 21 carried by the terminals of the laterally and forwardly projecting arms .20 are made of very heavy material, bein preferably of cast lead or having secure thereto heavy balls or weights 22. While in the form of the invention shown the hands are the members weighted it is to be underan stood that these weights may be located at some other part of the fi ure. Both the legs and arms are attache to the bod 1 either directly or indirectly by means 0 an elastic medium here shown in the form of a5 coiled springs 16 which connect the legs and 23 which connect the arms.

The feet 17 of the figure are here shown formed of loops of the wire from which the toy is constructed. to The legs 15 are connected by the coiled springs 16 with members 18 which constitute the side portions of the body and the upper ends of these side members are connected by the coils 23 with the arms 20 as is shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3. The body 1 in addition to the side members 18 includes a spring connecting member arranged between the side members 18 and which is composed of a single piece of wire 24 properspective view of still anvided at intervals with coils, six of which are here shown, four being arranged at the corners of the frame and numbered 25, 26, 27 and 28 and through which the side members 18 pass. These corner coils form the shoulders and hip joints respectively of the toy and an intermediate coil 29 provides a flexible resilient spine or back bone and also a socket to receive the lower end of the connecting rod 30 which unites and supports the head 10 on the body. A resilient spine is necessary if the limbs be rigid'but such resiliency is not required when the limbs are springy. This rod 30 is arranged parallel with an upstanding neck wire 31 which constitutes the terminal of the wire 24 and around the base of which is arranged the coil 32. The wire 30 extends also through this coil 32 as shown clearly in Fig. 1 and together with the wire 31 forms the neck of the toy.

It will be seen that as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 the frame or body of the toy is composed of five pieces only but it is of course understood that the frame work may be decorated and covered in any mannerv desired to render the figure either attractive or ludicrous. Theclothing or upholstering of course is so arranged on the frame as not to interfere with the operation of the parts.

In the form shown in Fig. 6 the skeleton frame or body 1a is somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 1 the side members 18a differing from those shown in Fig. 1 in that their intermediate body portions 35 and 36 are arranged substantially obliquely between the leg members 16a and an members 200. and cross each other at 37, being formed with straight portions 38 at their points of intersection at which points upright rod 30a ,of the head supporting member is soldered or otherwise secured. When these portions 35 and 36 of the side members 18a are crossed and connected a bracing against side play is produced.

The head supporting and body forming member 40 is made substantially rectangw lar in form with the lower corners thereof arranged adjacent the leg connecting springs 16a where they are here shown soldered to the members 18a. The upper ends of this rectangular form 40 which obviously is constructed of wire is arranged at the corner portions adjacent the springs 23a which connect the arms 20a withthe body portion of the side members. These parts are also fixedl secured by soldering. or otherwise and t e upper end of the frame 40 has the crossmember made in the form of inclined shoulder members 41 and 42 which incline upwardly toward each other and merge into neck forming portions 43 and 44, the portion 44 which is carried by the shoulder member 42 being in the form of a loop, one member of which is an extension of the upright rod 30a. This neck portion is designed to support a head 10a similar to that shown in Fig. 1.

In the form shown in Fig. 7 the toy is.

made in the form of a sheet metal frame 1?), the arms 20b, legs 15b, and connecting or body portion 45 with the neck 46 are all struck out of sheet metal and the reduced body portion 45 forms a flat spring-like connection between the hips 46 and the shoulders 48. The hips, shoulders, arms and le s are reinforced by a flangelike ledge 49. The weighted hands are shown at 22?) in dotted lines, and a head at 106 while the feet appear in dotted lines at 17 b.

In the form shown in Fig. 8 a sin le leg member 50 is shown which is pre erably painted to look like two legs and the uper portion thereof is arranged between a bifurcated hip member 51 formed at the lower portion of the body 52 and is pivotally connected to the hip at 53 and has a hooklike extension 54 projecting slightly beyond the rear of the hip portion 51 and to which is designed to be connected the lower end of a coiled spring 55, the other end of which is dctachably connected with the body 52 at the point 56.

The upper portion and the head of the body 52 is thickened and made much heavier than the lower portion, the leg 50 being very light. The arms are shown extended forwardly which is their normal position in this form of the invention. While this form is not so effective as some of the others it is very simple to construct.

In the form shown in Fig. 9 the body portion 56 of the toy is made substantially rectangular from a strip of sheet metal having the inclined shoulder portions 41a and 42a which merge at their upper ends into parallel straight portions lying in close proximity and numbered 57 and which form the neck portion for supporting the head 10d. The free ends of the neck portion are extended laterally outward to form attaching flanges or lugs 58. The leg and arm members 59 and 60 are shown made of'wire and substantially U-shaped in form, the cross bars 590. and 60a thereof having loops 59b and 606 formed therein and extending towards each other. A stout coiled spring 61 connects the loops 5% and 60b of the leg and arm members and holds these limbs in proper position giving them the necessary resiliency.

These leg members 59 and 60 extend loose ly through the frame 56. near the upper and lower portions of.the sides thereof and the arms have the usual weighted hands 221) while the feet are shown in the form of wire loops 17b.

To operate the toy it is well above the floor a distance approximatel equal to about three times the height 0 the toy as shown in Fig.2 with the feet extended and pointing downward and slightly in advance of the plumb line from the center of gravity. It is then released and when it strikes the floor the inertia of the heavy hands force them towards the floor producing flexure in the limbs or elastic portions 0 the toy as shown in Fig. 2. The reaction causes the weighted hands to move upwardly carrying again the body with them and these hands move faster than the body as the device leaves the floor so that the body is rotated about the hands sufficiently to land the toy as shown at the right of Fig. 2 in dotted line position. With slight practice the doll or other toy may be made to do this back flip repeatedly.

While the backfiip is the only stunt illustrated obviously the toy may be made to perform many different acrobatic feats, a little practice only being necessary to do this.

It is tobe understood that the doll or figure illustrated as an embodiment of the invention may be varied both as to configuration and structure, the weights 22 necessary to the acrobatic action being at any desired. point of the body and the location of the rigid and elastic members may be varied.

An essential feature of the invention is to provide a figure toy having the four limbs extended laterally in substantially the same direction with weights so disposed as to provide a tumbling, bounding and rebounding series of stunts when the toy is dropped or thrown into the air.

\Vithout further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or its scope as claimed.

I claim:

1. A light elastic figure toy having a body equipped with a rigidly attached light head and provided with limbs extended laterally therefrom and normally so held, and weights carried by some of said limbs and suitably positioned to locate the center of gravity away from said body and cause the figure to perform acrobatic stunts when dropped to the floor or thrown up into the air.

, 2. A light elastic figure toy comprising a body having a head projecting longitudinally from one end and limbs extending laterally from said body, and weights carried by some of said limbs to position the center of gravity in front of the toy and cause the toy to perform aerobatic stunts when manipulated.

3. A figure toy comprising a body having limbs extending laterally therefrom one 0 the other of which is stiff and the other elastic, and weights carried by said limbs to so locate the center of gravity in regard to the body of the toy that tumbling and bounding thereof will be produced when the toy is dropped to the floor.

4. A figure toy comprising a body havin limbs extending laterally therefrom an elastically connected therewith, and weights carried by some of said limbs to so osition thecenter of gravity in relation to t e body of the toy as to cause it to land on all fours when dropped to the floor.

5. A figure toy comprising a body having a head at one end with arms and legs extending laterally from the corners thereof and elastically connected therewith and weights secured to the free ends of said arms and adapted to cause the center of gravity to be located out from the body and towards the center of a line joining the weighted members to cause the toy to land on all fours when dropped on the ground.

6. A figure toy comprising a body having laterally extending arms and legs connected therewith by coiled springs, and weights attached to the free ends of said arms to locate the center of gravity out from the body of the toy and towards the center of a line joining the weighted members to cause the toy to perform acrobatically when dropped to the floor.

7. A figure toy having rigid fore-limbs and shoulders connected elastically with rigid hind-limbs and hips; the fore-feet or hands being of heavy material so as to give the toy acrobatic and recovering properties when rebounding from a f 11 a HARVEY LYNN BLQXOM. 

